Video Shows Daring Jailbreak as Seven Inmates Remain at Large After Escape from Orleans Parish Jail(video)

nmates escaping from Louisiana Jail

Ten inmates classified as "armed and dangerous" escaped from the Orleans Parish Jail in New Orleans early Friday morning in a well-coordinated jailbreak that authorities believe involved inside assistance. As of late Friday, three of the escapees have been recaptured while seven remain at large.

Initially, officials reported that 11 inmates had fled, but later clarified the number was 10 after one individual, Keith Lewis, was mistakenly identified as part of the escape group. Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson confirmed during a press briefing that the escape could not have occurred without some form of internal complicity.

“There’s no way for anyone to get out of this facility without help from the inside,” Hutson said.

The inmates were discovered missing during an 8:30 a.m. routine headcount. Investigations suggest the escape occurred just after midnight. At approximately 12:23 a.m., the inmates forced a sliding jail cell door off its track. They then dismantled a toilet fixture and breached a wall behind it, exiting the facility at 1:01 a.m. by scaling down a wall and running across the interstate. The makeshift tools used to remove the bolts and toilet were reportedly toiletry items, though specifics were not provided.

A jail cell at the Orleans Parish Jail. The sheriff's office said 10 inmates escaped from the facility. One inmate was captured shortly afterward, multiple law enforcement agents launched a manhunt to locate the others.

Security footage released by the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office showed the inmates sprinting away from the jail and traversing a freeway. In a taunting act, the escapees left behind graffiti for jail staff, with one message reading, “to easy, LOL” — a misspelled but mocking note directed at the facility’s security.

Hutson acknowledged serious lapses in security and said the jail is on full lockdown. She admitted it took time to determine how the inmates escaped and ensure the safety of inmates and staff before launching a full-scale manhunt.

The sheriff’s office confirmed the capture of three escapees by Friday night. One of the fugitives, Kendell Myles, was arrested using facial recognition technology after being spotted on surveillance footage in downtown New Orleans. He was found hiding beneath a car in the Hotel Monteleone parking garage and was taken back into custody without further incident. He now faces an additional charge of simple escape.

A second escapee, Robert Moody, was also apprehended later in the day, followed by the arrest of Dkenan Dennis on Friday night.

The seven remaining escapees are believed to still be in the New Orleans area. Law enforcement teams from the New Orleans Police Department, Louisiana State Police, FBI, and U.S. Marshals are actively involved in the search. The escapees, all held on serious or violent charges, were housed on the same jail tier.

Police have begun contacting victims and witnesses related to the inmates’ pending trials. In one case, a family was evacuated from their home as a safety precaution. Among the fugitives is Derrick Groves, convicted of murder in a 2018 Mardi Gras shooting.

New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick urged the public not to assist the escapees. “If you harbor or help these individuals, you will be charged,” she warned. Authorities suspect the inmates have likely changed clothes and are no longer in their prison-issued jumpsuits.

Sheriff Hutson also criticized the city for failing to provide long-requested funding for prison security upgrades. She revealed that the jail has needed $5.2 million just to replace faulty cell locks, an issue her office has been raising for five years.

The Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office continues to coordinate with local and federal agencies in a multi-agency effort to locate and return the remaining escapees to custody.

The video